ni Lolet Abania | March 18, 2022
Hinimok ng Department of Education (DepEd) si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na i-veto ang isang panukala hinggil sa pagbaba ng edad para maka-access sa vape at e-cigarette products.
Sa isang statement, sinabi ng DepEd na kaisa nila ang Department of Health (DOH) at mga medical organizations na umaapela kay Pangulong Duterte para ipawalang-bisa ang Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act.
Layon ng nasabing measure na babaan ang edad para maka-access sa vape at e-cigarette products mula 21 ginawang 18-anyos. Ita-transfer din ang regulatory powers ng lahat ng naturang produkto mula sa Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ay ibibigay sa Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“As a government institution championing young Filipinos’ well-being, we are taking a stand against the so-called ‘anti-health’ vape bill, which will weaken existing law and the executive order against Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) or Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENNDS) commonly known as e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’,” pahayag ng DepEd.
“If passed into law, the bill will erode the important provisions already set forth in Republic Act No. 11467 and Executive Order No. 106 both signed by the President in 2020,” ayon pa sa DepEd.
Sinabi rin ng ahensiya na ang batas at ang executive order ay ni-regulate na ang mga electronic nicotine/non-nicotine delivery systems, heated tobacco products, at iba pang novel tobacco items.
Ayon sa information system ng DepEd, tinatayang 870,000 learners na nasa basic education sector ay edad 18 para sa School Year 2020-2021, habang halos 1.1 milyong mag-aaral sa Senior High School ay nasa 18 hanggang 20-anyos.
“This is the number of learners who will become legally allowed to be marketed the harmful products once the bill becomes law,” sabi ng DepEd.
“We teach in schools how the part of the brain that is responsible for rational decisions does not fully develop until one is in their mid-twenties. Before that age, young people are very vulnerable to engaging in risky behaviors such as substance use and abuse. If there will be any attempt to amend existing laws, it should be to increase the age of access to harmful products, not lower it,” giit pa ng ahensiya.